Collision Course
by Igneous Pride
Summary: "And finally, photographic evidence to show that buffoon of a Doctor that he really needed to get his act together and stop causing the end of the universe" Features the return of 10.2 and Rose and a multitude of old faces. And River Song. R&R
1. Chapter 1

**So this is a little idea that has been circulating in my head for a little while now. A little gathering of Eleven and the Metacrisis Doctor, as well as a few returns of my favourites, and characters I want to shamelessly bash until their ears bleed (coughMarthacough). If you don't like it, don't read it. Oh, and expect lots of River, because I am seriously in love with the very idea of her. Once again, don't like, don't read. Spoilers up to the Doctors Wife in Doctor Who, as well as a few pre Children of Earth in Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures. Maybe. This is very much a work in progress. **

Rose Tyler surveys her surroundings with an massive grin. It's exactly the same as she remembers, give or take a few minor details, nothing worrying. The Console is a little wider than before, it is, overall a lot cleaner, the Chameleon Circuit actually works now, and the man beating the controls with a huge smile on his face and a hammer has a single heart and lifespan, but really, their new Tardis is, in a word, fantastic.

Outside their brand new Tardis, it is 2011, but according to the Doctors unreassuringly reassurances, not for very long. He asks her when, and she is reminded of the first time, the very first time, all those years ago, when he'd had big ears and a northern accent, when he'd asked her the same thing.

And then brought her to the end of the earth and almost got her burnt to cinders. She smiled fondly at the memory.

Of course, for their first trip, and the new Tardis' maiden voyage, they had planned on something relatively low key.

But as is the way of such things, it, quite literally, blew up in their faces.

Again.

Rose could not help but laugh as they sped, utterly out of control, towards the unknown.

And neither could her Doctor.

Several centuries after the Rose and her Doctor took off with a, well, a bang, a caged woman is worried. Doctor River Song is sitting in a prison cell on a distant planet in a parallel world, and she is not happy. She is hunched over several sheets of paper, seeming...not frantic, but there is an intensity to her that is making the guard stationed outside her cell uneasy. He is quite young, as all Doctor Songs guards tend to be, as none of them ever last that long, and most of the more experienced guards have learned to ignore the convicted archaeologist, who has escaped from Stormcage no fewer than 17 times to date, leaving for short periods of time, and then returning of her own volition. It used to be an infuriatingly bad image for the prison and its employees, but after River had gotten out after the warden himself had been personally guarding her, they'd pretty much accepted it, and always assigned the new guy.

But they'd told him what to look out for, and her behaviour now was, unsettling.

She'd stopped looking at her notes, and was now staring out the window, at the never ending rain and thunder that gave the facility its name. The guard only had a side view of her face, but from what he could make out (while trying to make it seem as though he wasn't because above all else, he'd been warned, very definitely, not to interact with her) that she looked... troubled. And then it was gone.

Her eyes flashed up to him, and he quickly averted his gaze, but not before he caught a smirk.

Now he was really nervous.

She stood up and began moving around, tidying away all her papers.

And then sat on the bed and pulled something out. A bag.

Oh bugger.

Twenty minutes later, River Song was well on her way out, having left behind yet another dazed guard. This made twenty successful escapes. Stormcage officials were in the dark about a few, as they'd never noticed she'd left, which had in turn led to some awkward questions, a serious refusal to accept 'Timey Wimey' as a legitimate reason. She grinned, checking she had everything. A perception filter around her rucksack had often saved her time in the past.

Now, quick check-list

Clothes: check

Diary:check

Gun: check

Vortex Manipulator that was in relatively working condition though needed to be replaced, hopefully before it singed a hole in the fabric of space: check

Hallucinogenic lipstick: Oh, double check. Whoever had invented that baby was a genius. She could kiss them. Metaphorically.

And finally, photographic evidence to show that buffoon of a Doctor that he really needed to get his act together and stop causing the end of the universe: check.

And a deck of cards.

The aforementioned buffoon, who was to be relevant to River at this point, was unsurprisingly, tinkering with the wires beneath the main console, albeit being a lot gentler lately, since the whole incident with the House, and the talking Tardis.

Not a hammer in sight.

His current companions were bickering, as married couples do, about matters that frankly bamboozled the Doctor, no mean feat. He'd stopped officially taking sides after that nasty incident with the garden hose, and a well learned lesson it was. Though secretly, he'd blamed Rory. Moron kept going and annoying his volatile, ginger, _Scottish_ wife.

"Are you two planning on not sniping at each other at any point in the near future?", he called out, climbing the stairs to join them.

"No", they both chorused angrily, scowling in opposite directions.

The Doctor sighed, straightening his bow tie.

"You know what you two need? A nice relaxing-" he stopped as Amy snorted

"Relaxing? Like that'll happen any time soon." she said derisively, tossing her long red hair back and putting her hands on her hips. An intimidating pose.

"Nice relaxing holiday" the Doctor continued over her "Or like a date night type thingy. Married people do those, sometimes. I'm sure I read that somewhere. It definitely had the word relaxing in it, and a nice photo of two people definitely not shouting at each other."

"Doctor, since when has space-Cosmo been on your reading list?" Amy asked, raising an eyebrow sceptically.

"Yeah, and if I remember the last 'date type thingys' you took us on didn't exactly inspire 'relaxation'. Big scary vampires, if you recall." Rory cut in.

"Well, yeah, but they weren't vampires, if you remember." the Doctor replied. "Big bloodsucking fish aliens... and I get your point. I'll just... let you finish your argument." he finished, taking a step back intent on... hiding. Bloody Ponds.

Honestly, when had he allowed the place to get so bloody _domestic. _Getting soft in his old age, no doubt about it. He sighed. Bloody Ponds.

They could really use a distraction right about now, he thought longingly. Bloody Ponds.

What was it River said about buffoons?

Right so reviews are appreciated (craved really)

Pretty please?


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews so far people, you're all officially fantastic. A few more new faces for ya in this chapter, hope you enjoy**

Twenty minutes later, and three hundred years previous, River Song is doing a good job of being inconspicuous. Surreptitiously examining her surroundings while affecting complete nonchalance, she meanders through the station. Luckily for her, there aren't too many people about. Seeming for all the world aimless. After a moment, she reaches her destination, and leaves her message.

And sighs

She checks her watch. Two minutes.

On her way out, she allows herself to feel absolutely terrible for what she knows is about to happen.

Because sometimes time can't be rewritten.

She is well away when she hears the explosion.

It is at first thought to be an accident, but careful evaluation of lingering chemicals in the air proves otherwise, linking the incident to several other similar unsolved cases, and the remains of the entire building are logged as evidence by the Judoon, who eventually manage to catch the culprit. The story is made famous once he is convicted and sentenced/

Luckily the footage of the curly haired woman leaving something in the lockers in the station was conveniently destroyed in the blast.

Lockers which the Judoon are now unable to open.

Or anyone else for that matter.

They are eventually forgotten by the general public, but they do become a sort of dark legend to individuals of certain circles. Like people who break locks for a living, for instance. Or for someone's living.

The National Museum of Organised Crime might sound like a bit of a joke, but its grown to be a huge tourist attraction. Just think the Godfather in space, (Or the robot Mafia from Futurama)

There is a huge display of firearms through the ages, popular getaway vehicles, and a little shop with 'finger sandwiches'

And the lockers.

The ones no one could open.

"What's that one then, Doctor? 'The locks on these doors have been tried by the best, and have remained sealed since the blahdy blah'" Amy Pond asks and then answered her own question.

"Oh, I've heard of these. Big explosion sealing the doors shut permanently. Bamboozled the experts" he said, moving around the display, deliberately not remarking on the little inscription in a dead language on one of the doors.

"Wow, I didn't know they had those kind of articles in space-Cosmo" she replied derisively. She still refuses to let that one go.

The Doctor ignored her and continued his probing, poking the door in question.

"Doctor, I'm not sure you're supposed to be touching those." Rory said worried by the familiar glint in the Doctors eyes, looking around.

"Oh, whatever gave you that notion?" the Doctor asked, not stopping, reaching for his screwdriver.

"Erm, the big sign saying 'Do Not Touch' on the base there, that was the first clue." he replied.

"Well yes, but..." he trailed off. He points the sonic at it and the door creaks open in a thoroughly anticlimactic way.

There was an awkward silence.

"Figures" Amy muttered.

The Doctor approached them cautiously, as if they were going to bite or explode or some-such.

"What is it, Doctor, what's in there?" Amy asked, trying to peer over his shoulder to get a good look in.

He turned around with the strangest expression on his face. In his hands was a piece of paper. No, a postcard. From Cardiff.

Amy laughed aloud when she read the message.

_Hello Sweetie x_

It was followed by a date. And a smiley.

Then an alarm sounds off in the museum corridor, and they run for it.

The day previous to the date of the message River Song left the Doctor and the Ponds, Captain Jack Harkness was doing the loathsome duty that is paperwork. Being such a wonderful boss that he is, he let his colleagues have the afternoon off.

Which had been happening quite a bit recently, the rift had been unusually quiet for the last few weeks, and Weevil activity had even decreased. Jack was unsure if it was in some way a result of the Earth being dragged across space, or merely the calm before the storm of some form of impending doom. Probably the latter.

The only thing they'd had even remotely resembling a problem in the last month was a minor outbreak of an alien toxin last week. It wasn't life-threatening, and was easily contained, but it did leave the victims with some inexplicable green patches. He had however called in Martha Jones, to help deal with the issue, though it was really a waste of her time, she was too polite to mention that. Wasn't really much of an incentive to get to join the team. He had been surprised when she had been accompanied by her new husband, none other than Mickey Smith.

He'd laughed aloud when he'd heard that.

In a polite way.

Speak of the devils, he thought as the doors to the hub opened, hailing the arrival of Mr and Mrs Smith. (Not the Brad Pitt/ Angelina Jolie version, though that'd be cool.) They called a cheerful hello to Jack and made their way to the lounge, too busy being sickeningly adorable together to notice the Captain's eye roll. Or the brief red blip on the rift measuring device (I'm sure it has a proper name)

After a moment of waiting for the Tardis to stop shaking, Rose Tyler pulled herself upright, groaning slightly.

"Well, look at that, we didn't explode. Brilliant. Love it when that happens. Or doesn't rather" the Metacrisis Doctor rambled on excitedly, also heaving himself of the floor of the console room, the familiar manic grin lighting up his face. "But we don't seem to have much in the way of power right now..."

"Yup, exactly the same. There's a lot to be said for zeppelins, Doctor." she wondered aloud, while rubbing her head, having banged it off something hard and merciless.

"Oh don't be ridiculous Rose, what has a zeppelin got on this beauty?" he said, still beaming and fiddling with the controls. It looked to Rose he'd be exactly as... fond of this Tardis as the last one. Oh dear.

"Less havin' to pick yourself off the floor, for one Doctor", she retorted.

His only response was to make a 'pffft' noise, and move to the other side of the console.

"Where did we end up anyway?", she asked, brushing a blonde hair out of her face.

"Oh, erm... now let me see... right, yes, okay, yes. No idea. Huh. Scanners dead too. Never mind, we'll do it the old fashioned way shall we?" he grabbed his long jacket, a close copy of his old one, and grabbed her hand dragging her out the doors of his new Tardis, which actually blended in properly for a change.

And stopped dead when he realised where exactly they'd ended up.

**No points for guessing where.**

**Reviews are still and will always be appreciated.**

**And I just realised I forgot a disclaimer, silly me, but yes, Neither the Doctor, the Metacrisis, the Ganger Doctor, River Song or Captain Jack are mine. Or any of the others for that matter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**First off, a huge thank you to Princess1895, ArtemisScribe and James Birdsong for their lovely reviews. If I ever meet ye in real life, I may have to hug you for a while. And also to the four who put this on favourites, and the twelve who put it on alert. Free hugs for all! And also to my bff TheStraightLesbian, for her wonderful reaction on facebook chat. You should all seriously take the time to read her stuff, and then pester her into finishing something, as she is amazing. (See I am nice to you)**

**I still do not own anything or anyone in the Whoniverse. I've got a sonic screwdriver and a poster of a Dalek and an obsession with David Tennants accent. Sinn e. **

**So without further ado, **

The Metacrisis Doctor looked around, the shocked look on his face almost comical.

"Right", he said, after a long, long, awkward pause.

"Doctor, are we in Cardiff _again?_" Rose asked sulkily. All of time and space, and somehow they always ended up here. Not even a future science fictiony city, with flying cars and whatnot.

"Seems so, yeah" he said, distractedly, scratching his head, a nervous habit.

"Brilliant. Can we go somewhere a bit more exotic? The Tardis doesn't need to refuel or anything does it?" she asked.

"She. And no." he replied, still frowning, looking at her like he was about to break bad news. She recognised that expression. It never boded well.

"No, the Tardis needs to refuel or no we can't leave." she asked, already knowing the answer.

"The latter. We're in the wrong place. At the wrong time. In the wrong world."

Rose looked around again, expecting the place to feel different. More welcoming. But no.

"Oh bugger" she said, taking the Metacrisis Doctors hand. He squeezed her fingers.

"Yeah"

When they collapsed in the Tardis, out of breath and laughing, narrowly missing the angry security guards with laser guns, Amy fully expected the Doctor to take off for Cardiff immediately. Instead however, they de-materialised from the museum but remained adrift, the Doctor leaning on the console, the same expression on his face as when he'd seen the date and location of Rivers message.

Which was pretty impressive in of itself. Amy knew the older woman was a total genius when it came to creative ways of attracting the Timelords attention; jumping out of a spaceship into the Tardis while in flight, carving a flirty message an ancient cliff face, and her personal favourite, shooting the cowboy hat off his head in Utah that time- she still smiled at the memory. A mysterious door saying 'locked' to the Doctor... the phrase 'biscuits to bears' sprang to mind.

It might as well have said 'Do not open'

Though funnily enough he didn't seem to have much intention of investigating.

"Doctor, I don't mean to state the obvious, but we're not exactly springing into action, are we?" Amy asked, curious at the Doctors lack of interest in finding out what Rivers message was about.

"No, we're not. Not yet anyway. I think... yes, I think I need to have a think about it", he said and flopped onto the chair next to the console.

"Since when do you think about things Doctor?" Amy asked sceptically.

"Oi, I'll have you know Pond, that I think about stuff all the time. World class thinker. Sometimes I sit down, just to have a nice long ponder about ...stuff." he ranted on, making a complete shambles of distracting her.

"I meant that you always go running whenever River calls, oh wise and powerful thinking machine", she clarified, wanting to slap him a bit. "But now you're acting all... weird."

"I do not _always_ go running when she calls" he argued pouting.

"Oh yes, you do, Doctor. She leaves a big dramatic message and you can't let it go till you've found out why, it's all very sweet", she said.

He glared at her.

"Oh, did you two have a row, Doctor. You did, didn't you. You and the missus, had a domestic. Oh my god, you did." Amy laughed at this.

"We did _not _have a 'domestic', I don't do domestic." he spat the word derisively. She'd touched a nerve.

"Hang on", Rory interrupted, looking between Amy and the Doctor, the confusion clear on his face. "River's your 'missus'?

"No" the Doctor said emphatically, at the same time Amy said 'Yes', with just as much fervour.

"Right" the former Roman nodded, cleverly sensing a touchy subject. The Time Lord never really talked about River Song; Rory didn't even realise there was a reason behind this until she'd shown up in Utah and they'd seen... anyway. But during the whole Pandorica - turning - into – a – plastic – Roman - rebooting - the – universe incident, he'd not really spent much time with her, and that whole issue was murky at times. She was there, and then she wasn't. It was only afterwards, in America, in the warehouse had he really realised there was... a thing... of Timey Wimey sorts. Or something of that ilk.

"Well then what?" Amy asked, following him around the console as he moved around pushing random buttons and levers. She had to admit, she didn't think her friend and the archaeologist had had an argument, as they'd seemed to have parted amicably enough the last time they'd seen her (amicably being a really mild term, you could cut the sexual tension with a spoon between those two).

"Cardiff is . . . tricky." The Doctor said

Amy and Rory waited for the rest of it, but the Timelord said nothing.

"Tricky?" Rory repeated.

"Yes."

"Cardiff?" he pressed.

"Yes" the Doctor reiterated, somewhat belligerently.

"Cardiff is tricky?"

"Yes, that's what I said. Blimey."

"How can... nevermind" Amy began but gave up, not wanting a long Timey Wimey and/or Spacey Wacey explanation. She knew from experience that for River to have gone to all that effort to attract the Doctors attention, there had to be something not quite right. And the Doctors reluctance was … a first. The whole situation was making Amy nervous. And curious. And creative. A deadly combination. She caught her husbands eye and they shared a 'just go with it' look.

"Oh well, I guess that's that then" Amy said, a sigh in her tone, as she slumped down onto the seat in the control room"

"Well, I didn't say that we weren't-" the Doctor started, but Amy cut him off.

"No no, you have said no, and your word is final."

The Doctor looked confused, with the beginnings of anxiety and suspicion, but after a few minutes of the redheads silence, he went back to fiddling with the controls.

And then she started arguing with Rory again, who after a look of complete and utter bewilderment, quickly started yelling back at her. About flutes.

He could see where this was going.

With him running to the fair ladies aid. In Cardiff.

He wondered if she knew about the complexity that was that timezone. God knew he did his best to avoid it. He remembered the last time, at the end, like it was someone else's life. It was really, both him and not him. It still ached though.

He glanced up at his companions, who were pointedly not looking at him.

"Enough!" he bellowed at them, setting the coordinates. "Fine, you win, but don't say I didn't warn you. This will not be in any way good, you hear me." he pulled a lever, and was jolted forward.

She better have a bloody good reason for calling him.

It was only later that he realised what a stupid wish this was.

**Review!**

**Yeah, I thought maybe a forceful command might work. I live in hope. But seriously, please, tell me what you think.**

**Igneous P**

**By the way, two days to Let's kill Hitler! Who's excited? (You can tell me how much in a review if you like)**


	4. Chapter 4

**By the way, can I just say, The Wedding of River Song?**

**That's all.**

**Thank you so much to all you gorgeous people who reviewed and favourited so far. I more than less than three you all so very much**

**Usual disclaimer, if it were mine I'd be way busy doing bad things with the cast to write rubbish fanfics. And this fic is before River's aforementioned wedding, pre Let's Kill Hitler, but due to the tangly twisty timeline, there will be some spoilers (squee) for that episode. **

**Allons-y!**

While waiting for the impending doom to strike and destroy the world as he knew it (or something to that effect) Jack Harkness considered his new team, of sorts. Despite his frequent, subtle hints to the new Mr and Mrs Smith, he doubted they'd stay. Mickey derived way too much amusement from the welsh accent, so much so that Gwen had actually threatened violence if he didn't stop making Gavin and Stacy references, and Martha, well, she wasn't going to leave her family. Personally, Jack thought she was old enough to stand on her on two feet and tell her (quite frankly overbearing) mother where to go, and to stop feeling guilty for every little thing. Not that he was about to butt in.

But still, once the current ...crisis was finished and the people of Cardiff were back to their original colour, they'd leave and go off to do... whatever it was they did when they weren't here. Shame really.

God knows the interview procedure for a super top secret underground alien investigating organisation led by a dashing immortal was a nightmare.

He sighed. What he really needed was somebody... experienced, someone who was good in a crisis, who he knew he could trust completely, or was at least trustworthy enough, Jack had stopped trusting people decades ago. There was only one being in the universe who seemed to think that the human race was in any way decent as a whole, and he wouldn't be interested. Too much water under that proverbial bridge. It did, however, give him an idea...

"Mickey!" he hollered over to his... colleague.

"Yeah?", he called back.

"That woman, Sarah Jane Smith, you still on speaking terms with her?" he asked

"Why wouldn't I be?" he countered, looking annoyed.

"Because I need a favour, and it would sound so much better in your dulcet tones. You mind giving her a call, tell her to get in touch?" he requested.

Mickey, however, looked wary "Why? No offence mate, but Sarah Jane's not the type for Torchwood. She's got kids, man, and a tin dog. She's old school"

"Yeah, I figured, but with us all being in the same line of work, she might know someone who is suitable. We need to beef up our ranks, seeing as your stay is to be regrettably short", he said mournfully, clutching his heart.

"Yeah, I don't know how we'll survive" Gwen said, in the same mock sorrowful tone. She nudged Ianto, who was standing behind her, who contributed a brief "Yes, very much so", then left to get coffee.

Mickey just glared. "I'll give her a ring."

"Much obliged. Gotta love delegation. Best thing about being in charge. That and the parking space", he said lounging back in his chair.

"Yeah, _that's _the biggest perk of your job", Gwen said, looking pointedly at Ianto, who was approaching with a tray of steaming mugs. Jack smirked at her, and winked saucily at the Welshman.

"Ugh", Mickey sighed.

"Aww, it's okay, I still love you too", he said blowing him a kiss.

The sudden shrill buzzing from the monitors abruptly cut off their cosy tête a tête, startling them into action. Gwen and Jack hastened to the screens, checking levels of rift activity, shock on each of their face.

"Oh dear", Gwen said, taking a seat on the table, looking at the Captain.

"That about sums it up yeah. Could be a false alarm again."

"You think?" she

"What is it? What's wrong?" Martha asked.

"There may be a... problem." Jack replied.

"May?" she repeated.

He didn't reply, but began typing rapidly, eyes fixed on the screens.

"And what is it that may or may not be a problem."

"The machine picked up some traces of radiation. And the only object that I know of that gives off that kind of radiation... well it always brings trouble, as I'm sure you know" Jack said, looking up at her.

"You don't mean it's..." she trailed off, eyes wide, staring at the screen trying to make the sense of the data.

"Yeah. But as I said, could be a false alarm. It could be the wrong one again. It's happened before"

"What do you mean, the wrong one?"

"What are you talking about?" Mickey asked, utterly nonplussed.

"It's him, Mickey. He's back."

It took a minute. Then realisation finally dawned, as his eyes lit up with understanding.

"You mean..."

"Oh, give the man a bloody medal", Gwen said exasperatedly.

"But if he's here, then that means..." , Martha didn't finish, looking around at her companions.

"If it's the right one? Trouble." Jacks grin was without humour.

Gwen groaned.

"Brilliant"

Landing the TARDIS with the usual bang, Amy and Rory heaving themselves up, the Doctor let go of the bar for which he'd been holding on for dear life, he turned and regarded the door with something akin to dread.

Amy rolled her eyes at his expression.

"Right", he began, gesturing grandly "Don't break anything, don't let that woman get you into any trouble and do _not_" he said emphatically "wander off"

"Aye aye Cap'n" Amy said, mock saluting, turning to follow her husband out the door.

"Yes, well", he said, pursing his lips at her antics.

"Oh for gods sake, Doctor, stop being such a baby. It's River not Hitler." Amy's attempt at reason was met with a stony glare.

"You do remember the last time yes? With the robot Romans and the evil League of Evil and the universe going poof yes?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well yeah but... grow up."

"Never" he exclaimed vehemently.

"Ha"

"Oh, I can't even begin to imagine the horror she has for us", he moaned following the Ponds out the blue door. "There'll be explosions, and doom and gloom and-"

"Coffee?", Rory interjected, interrupting the Timelords tirade, peering over his shoulder.

"Beg your pardon?", he replied, perplexed at the sudden declaration of the popular beverage.

"Coffee. She's over there, drinking coffee." Rory explained pointing to what was indeed River Song, sitting alone at a table outside a small café in the street. Exuding nonchalance as ever, a book in her hands, feet stretched out in front of her. A pair of sunglasses rested atop her head.

The trio stared at her for a long moment, each half expecting varying degrees of catastrophe to begin.

Then, as though she felt the heaviness of their gazes upon her, she looked up and waved.

"Oh no", the Doctor moaned.

"For Gods sake", Amy sighed, walking past the tetchy Timelord to greet River, who had began to make her way over to them. "Hey River"

River took a long look at the girl in front of her, then smiled.

"Hello again, Amy dear. Rory", she nodded towards the former Centurion, who in turn gave an awkward sort of wave. Her previously warm smile faded somewhat when she turned to the Doctor, became more of a smirk.

"Hello sweetie"

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

She pretended to be upset. "I'm fine Doctor dear, thank you for asking. Had quite an interesting experience with a train, but no need to bother with that. Wasn't difficult a_t all_."

For his part, he looked mildly embarrassed. "Yes River, it's always wonderful to see you, brilliant trick with the locker, you're almost as clever as me" he sped through, sarcastically

"Wouldn't cause regeneration for you to say it every once in a while, sweetie", she pouted.

"Yeah, well... I repeat, why did you call me?"

"Such a smooth talker"

"River", he said, his impatience colouring his tone.

"I called you here, because I found something that suggests that there is going to be an unmitigated disaster about to happen."

"River, that's ridiculously dangerous. I can't prevent it if something is supposed to happen. It'll-",

"Cause a paradox creating the collapse of reality, yes believe me I know. But we're supposed to be here."

"River, there are... groups here to deal with this sort of thing."

"I'm aware, Doctor. But this time it has to be you."

She reached into her rucksack and took out a photo. It was a CCTV photo of the square, taken... three minutes from now. Examining it closely, he could see himself and the Ponds and River standing in the foreground. It felt... fixed. Occasionally he could detect if something was in flux, whether it could be safely altered, but this felt ...final. Odd. And how would she know...?

Hold on, he thought, looking at himself in the picture. It was a bit blurry, but he looked startled, like he'd seen a ghost. Was he seeing the cause for this supposed catastrophe? He looked around the square, trying to determine the direction he was staring at in the photo. What on Earth could shock him so?

Then he saw them.

The proverbial 'jaw drop' was entirely accurate in this instance.

The Ponds, who had been growing more and more confused throughout the exchange, followed the Doctors gaze. Amy did not understand her friends startled expression. He seemed to be staring at a couple, about three hundred metres away. The man was tall, thin, dark haired and good looking in a skinny way, the woman smaller, blonde. She looked vaguely familiar. The woman wasn't even looking in their direction, but the tall man was staring at their group, with an identical expression on his face to the Doctor. Except, she realised, he wasn't looking at herself or, her husband.

He was staring at River.

Who was looking similarly perturbed, though not as frightened.

"Is that?" she asked. The Doctor appeared not to have heard her. Amy could almost hear his brain whirring. She imagined there would be steam.

"Doctor! Is that...who I think it is?" she demanded, raising her voice so that she was almost shouting. He jumped a little, tearing his gaze away from the couple, who were beginning to make their way over to them.

"Depends on who you think it is"

"Well I think it's..."

"It's not", he said shaking he head

"No?" She looked confused, looking back and forth between the two men.

"No", he repeated firmly.

"Oh, so it's...", understanding dawning.

"Yep"

"_Oh._ Oh dear"

"Yeah"

"Bet you're glad I called now"

Before Amy could demand explanation from either of them, or even hit the Doctor for being deliberately mysterious, the others were three feet from them.

The worlds most awkward pause ensued. Rory was the one to break it.

"Hello", he addressed the blonde woman, sensing less...weirdness. Or perhaps he could see he was just as confused as he was. Or that she was a pretty blonde girl. One of those. River turned her gaze to her, just for a moment, and grinned, almost to herself.

"Hi", she replied.

Amy turned to the Doctor. "One of you wanna explain what's going on, or will Rory and I just get a drink while ye three finish the staring competition?"

All eyes turned to her. She flushed. Then she realised where she had seen the woman before.

"You were in the Tardis!", she exclaimed, pointing at her excitedly.

The blonde looked startled. "Sorry?", she asked, confused.

"Your picture. I saw you. after the... never mind. But yeah. You used to travel with him too."

"You travel with the Doctor?", her shock was evident. She glanced around the square as if searching. Oh.

"Obviously", she said confused, looking from her to the Doctor, who smiled fondly at his old friend.

"Hello Rose. It's so good to see you again."

**So yeah, everyone's meeting up. The plot thickens. **

**Please please please leave a comment, all reviews and constructive criticism is very much appreciated.**

**My new years resolution this year is to finish at least one fanfiction, so Imma gonna need a lot of feedback to help me do it. Come on guys, we can do it together!**

**So please click the little button. **

**Please.**


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